Howl!
by LovesWolvesNVamps
Summary: This is my version of the Sam, Leah, and Emily triangle. The chapters are the points of views of multiple characters from the Twilight universe. I have made up names of characters that had no names in the series Like Sam's mother ...
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Twilight and its characters are owned by Stephanie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended with the posting of this story.

**A/N:** I have tried to be true to S.M.'s characters, to the Native American people, and to myself. I have spent a lot of time with North East Native Americans. I have not spent time with any from the North West. So all information I give about Native's reflect that fact (though I have been doing research). Feed back would be great!

HOWL!

Chapter 1

Leah's memories;

I have loved Sam since I was 3.

Sam rescued me. At least this is the way my mother, Sue Clearwater, tells the story…

My father, Harry, was getting ready to go to pick up my mother and my new brother, Seth, from the hospital. There was not enough room in the old truck for me to come along so he left me with Billy Black and his family.

Billy Black had taken over leadership of the tribe that year, after his father had passed away (his father and his father's father had been tribal leaders as well. I think he can trace his father's lineage all the way back to Taha Aki – our greatest chief in our history). Billy had a wife, he also had 2 daughters (Rachel and Rebeca) and an infant son Jacob).

That day Billy left me at his picnic table with a popsicle. Billy went inside to tell his 2 daughters to come outside with me while his wife finished feeding Jacob. When the girls came out – I was gone. Billy's daughter's called out to me but I did not answer. They went and got Billy –who did not believe in wasting time. Billy called the tribal council members to help search for me – the reservation is large and the ocean borders one whole side of the res, it's mostly cliff's so people worry when children wander (not that any children HAVE fallen into the ocean and my people have lived here a LONG time…).

The whole council showed up, except for my father of course. Each member had brought at least 1 other person to help search. Grandfather Quill (OK he is not my REAL grandfather. It is a term of respect. So in a way I have more Aunts, Uncles, Grandmothers, and Grandfathers than any girl in Forks – the town next to my reservation), who had been teaching Sam since his dad disappeared earlier that year, brought Sam with him. The tribe knew Sam was already a hunter and a good tracker, so apparently this was not an odd choice. Even then Sam was a serious little 5 year old boy, who listened well to everything the elders had to teach. Sam listened, along with the council members and the rest of the searchers to what I was wearing. They all knew me so they did not need a description of me (small Native American girl with long black hair and brown eyes – it also described ALL of the three year old girls on my reservation!), and then Sam went with Grandfather Quill to help search. The tribe would not loose one child – children are gifts from the creator (YES! Sue puts that in their every time. She must think I will get a complex that I was bad for walking away from the Black's home or something).

After watching everyone take off down the road and all of the well used trails, Sam insisted that he and G.Q. go to one particular small unused trail. It was narrow and it leads to the cliffs over the ocean. There were flowers along the cliff at the end of the narrow path. Sam and G.Q. found me at the cliff's edge. I was reaching for a flower just beyond and below my reach – leaning over the edge of the cliff trying to reach it, teetering and about to fall. Sam quickly made it to my side and grabbed me when I would have fallen (when G.Q. tells this story Sam moves about as fast as Superman). 'Little one, whatever you want tell me and I will get it for you,' he had told me that day. Sam reached out, effortlessly picked the flower I had been reaching for, and handed it to me. It was the start of my life with Sam.

This is where my mother's story ends. (But there is always more to every story, not all of them end happy. The way my mother tells it ends happy.)

From that day on, I worshiped Sam. My mother says I would ask for him as soon as I woke up and most days I would get to spend some time with him. But Sam was 5 and that fall he had to go to school. That was the first time Sam was taken from me. My mother said I cried all day for him and did not stop until he came over after school. That afternoon I asked to take me to school with him. Sam had meant what he said that day on the cliffs. He knew I couldn't stay at school with him, but he had a solution. He found a way to give me what I wanted. Sam asked my mom if I could walk with him and his mother every day to school. He told her his mother needed someone to care for while he was gone. My mother said yes. So everyday day Sam and his mom stopped at my house on his way to school and we walked to school. I got what I asked for. I went to school with Sam. His mother and I would often spend the mornings together. I think this helped her with the loss of Sam's father. I know my mornings with Aunt Ciara helped my mom catch up on sleep (Seth did not sleep much at night). Mom told me that Sam had needed me that summer as much as I needed him. He needed to feel loved and I have always given him that unconditionally.

Time passes.

Soon I was in school also. The first day of Kindergarten I fell on the playground and scraped my knee. It was Sam who picked me up, brushed me off and told me Quileute women did not cry at something so small as a scrape. I stopped crying. I swore that day that I would not cry at small things – I keep my promises.

When I was in first grade Sam killed his first deer. Well, the first deer completely on his own, up until then G.Q. or one of the other tribesmen helped him shoot the bow and arrow or finished the kill after his shot did not kill the deer. In the tradition of our people he first took what his family would need. Then he gave some venison (aka deer) to Grandfather Quill who had taught him how to hunt and kill the deer, and G.Q. had a young family to feed. His son had died leaving a wife and children who needed to eat too. Sam sharing his kill is part of our tribal traditions, – we all share the work in some way and so in some way we all share the benefit. Sam brought me the tenderloins, the best part of the deer. I remember that I had complained to him the night before that it was not fair that he could go hunting while I was not allowed to go (I knew better than to ask him if I could go too. My father had made it clear to me that I was too young). Sam had tried to make me feel better by sharing. It was a big deer he said – a seven point buck (that is seven sharp pointy parts on each side of the deer's antlers). That year my mother taught me to make venison jerky (one of many ways my people preserve meat for the winter before there were freezers). I gave half to Sam. Sam told me that from now on he would hunt, because he knew how, and I could cook, because I knew how. G.Q. overheard this and told him that warriors knew how to hunt, clean the animal AND cook it. He told us that we would both learn to hunt, clean and cook – he saw us as a team and teams care for one another with out one being more than the other (I did not realize then that G.Q. was teaching us both more than what we needed to simply be part of the village). I think he also saw a chance to teach me to take of myself so that I would not be like his daughter-in-law; a young widow with children and no way to put meat on the table by herself. She did her part for the tribe –smoking trout and making venison jerky but it was not the same as your mate bringing meat in. I think she felt like a burden.

In 2nd grade I got pushed off the top of the jungle gym. I broke my arm and did not shed 1 tear. Sam saw me fall and came running. He did not leave my side until I was home. He told me how brave I was and what a wonderful warrior I would have made for not making a peep while the doctors plastered my arm. I was convinced that day that Sam loved me too. G.Q. told me that they needed a brave warrior to help catch salmon, and wouldn't luck have it that my cast came off just in time for salmon season. I was so excited that I would be helping to set up the nets, clean the fish and prepare it for smoking – so the whole tribe would have food for the winter. I learned more than fishing that winter. I learned what it meant to be a full contributing member of the tribe. I also taught Sam to make jerky. We were partners. It felt so right.

In 3rd grade I learned to clean a deer. One word – GROSS. I also learned how to shoot a bow and arrow. In the spring tribal bow and arrow competition, I won first place. I beat Sam and all the boys in my age grouping. Looking back, I think Sam missed on purpose. Sam has never missed the bull's eye except for that day.

The summer after 3rd grade I met my cousin, Emily. She and I have grown closer every year. I tell her things that I would only also share with Sam. Emily is quiet (until you get to know her). My family always goes to the Makah tribal lands to visit Emily and her family. That summer I taught Em to fish and she taught me the value of keeping a journal.

More years passed with my father and G.Q. teaching Sam and I the skills of our people. We also learned to drum, sing, and participate in the tribal dances that take place to celebrate important events (OK Sam learned to drum – I learned the rattle, both important parts when part of a drum). How I love to move to the beat of the drum while wearing my ceremonial regalia. The Fancy Dance is beautiful, complex, and athletic. I become 1 with the music forgetting there are other's around me, watching and making the music. The drum beat feels more like my heart beating. My mother wanted me to enter dancing competitions but I don't want to. That's not why I dance. Dancing is free and fast. Emily helped me pick the colors of my regalia, she thought the colors should reflect the colors that my tribe would have had access to 100 years ago (Emily does not have regalia – she refuses to dance for anyone other than her tribe, "Honestly Leah, I won't ever dance for anyone other than my family." I can not convince her to make her own). My Regalia does not have the flashy sparkly ribbons like some but Sam says he can always see me as I represent the woods and other earthy tones of our home.

Sam is an amazing dancer and drummer. All of the council member's sons learned the Wolf Dance that tell the story of Taha Aki's battle (Each dance or song if for a particular reason). The boys all are part of a drum as well. To be part of a drum is much like a musical band. The opens with a first (sung by a single person), everyone joins in on the 2nd, 3rd and the 3rd repeat. Sam is typically the lead and also does the honor beats in the song (certain strong single beats that are distinct and separate from the groups cohesive joint beats that really almost sound like one person playing), with Jacob singing as the 2nd (he steps in if Sam misses the jump in or if Sam tells him to), and there are other roles like Jared as medicine keeper (but all that matters more to the members than it does to anyone else). They all play on the same drum. Their mates (when and if each one has one) will sit with their back to the drummers – when it is their turn to drum (every drum has a turn and so everyone has a chance to dance). The women/mates sit this way to watch the horizon and protect them from attack (not that anyone is attacking these days – it is now just a tradition). Sam is lead on the drum, maybe it is because he is the oldest. I play the rattle, sing and used to sit at Sam's back. I was there many years. Jacob Black is the lead in the Wolf Dance, this is because he can trace his history to Taha Aki. Jacob wants his best friends to be his 2nds in the dance(Like the drum, the 2nd assists the lead), but they are not as coordinated as Sam so he usually chooses Sam (Sam does not want to lead EVER but does. He will do whatever he considers to be his duty, no matter how hard it is for him.).

We worked on our regalia during Sam's two years in Jr High. G.Q. got real sick around then. He had prostate cancer. G.Q. wanted life to stay normal and since he could not teach us to hunt bear or whale, he decided to teach us how to make our own regalia. I spent 2 years on my Fancy Dance regalia. The wolf pattern is fierce and feminine at the same time. I love the colors. The blue-green of the ocean, purple wampum, the browns and tans of the earth, the white of the clouds, the yellow of the sun, and the green of the pines and moss. I love the long tassels on my shawl, how they fly as move. G.Q. told us many stories. Stories he had listened to as a child. He taught me so much, I do not recall him ever complaining or giving up or even missing a planned day with us. Each day after the surgery and all through the chemotherapy and then the radiation treatments, he would watch Sam and glow with pride. Sam worked had to earn his approval. I don't think Sam realized that G.Q. was always proud of him. I never wanted those times to end. G.Q. did recover but he was never the same. After the surgeries and the treatments he looked and seemed like the old grandfather we all call him out of respect. Sam and I spent less time with him and his own grandchildren were learning the old ways just as we had, filling his afternoons.

Sam entered into High School and he taught me the importance of family. Sam had decided freshman year to try out for the football team. He was so good that he made the varsity team – line backer. He played for four years and was offered several scholarships. But, as Sam told me, he had responsibilities and nothing would change that. Not even a scholarship. He had a duty to care for his mother, and that comes before leaving the reservation to play football. He would have quit football his sophomore year (when he received word his father would never return – this came by letter and we never discuss it), but his mother loved watching him on the football field. Sam does not believe in disappointing his mother, so he continued to play football.

When Sam was a junior and I was a freshman we made our relationship public. Everyone thought we were a perfect match. It was only a matter of time until we would marry. I dreamed of moving into his house and caring for his mother Ciara and him. It would be perfect.

My junior year Sam's mom committed suicide. We found her with the letter Sam had received 3 years before. He didn't let me read the note. There was a quiet burial for his Mom at her people's reservation. Sam went there alone. When he returned, I brought him dinner. I wound up holding him that night as he cried. That night I did not go home. I was positive that Sam was going to ask me to marry him the next day. He didn't. We did talk the next day about how we had to keep the dishonor of the night before to ourselves and that as soon as I graduated we would make things official. But to be honest with my self, Sam never used the words 'commitment' or 'engagement' or even 'marriage'.

That day Sam disappeared. All I could find was some torn clothes in the clearing near his home. No sign of struggle or fight. No footprints or tire tracks. I ran all the way home crying to my father. We started a search. When I showed the counsel his torn clothes I swear they stopped looking scared. We all searched. All over the village. There were no clues. I could not sleep or eat. Where was Sam? Why didn't he come back? We even went to the Makah tribe to see if he was there. Emily helped me hang posters. I do not know what I would have done with out my cousin.

After two weeks Sam simply re-appeared. He would not tell me where he had been, except that it was a spirit walk. Sam was changing. It was not subtle. We didn't spend as much time together, but I wanted to believe he still loved me. He always has given me what I wanted. Why wouldn't he continue to give his love when that's what I wanted? I believed we could work it out. I thought we were. Several months have passed and we begin spending a little more time together. Sam joined the counsel and spent a lot of time with them. I thought everything would still work out.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Twilight and its characters are owned by Stephanie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended with the posting of this story.

**A/N**: I made a technical error in chapter 1. The '7 point buck' is really a 14 point buck. The description was accurate but bucks have even number points only. Sorry.

**A/N:** I have tried to be true to S.M.'s characters, to the Native American people, and to myself. I have spent a lot of time with North East Native Americans. I have not spent time with any from the North West. So all information I give about Native's reflect that fact (though I have been doing research). Feed back would be great!

**A/N:** The Wolf Dance described in this story is taken from a dance known as the Sneak Up. The seats on the drum are described as my friend Bryant told them to me. They are the positions of his drum group that I listened to this past weekend. I felt the descriptions of the dances, drum circle, and regalia are important to understanding the boys acceptances of Sam and Jacob's relationship later on when they are all wolves. Sorry if you find it too wordy.

Chapter 2

15 years ago, Sam's POV;

I walk next to my father and mother. We are going to an elders gathering. Tonight I will get hear the stories that 'grandfather' Quill will tell. I have heard them before. I love the tribe's stories.

Once at the fire the elders sit. There is food, and as is custom the children and the women are fed first while the men wait.

"Daddy, come eat too."

"Sam, soon you will be a warrior for our tribe. When you are you will wait with me while those we provide for eat first. Always, my son, take care of those who rely on you first. Then take care of yourself. Tell me, who should always eat first?"

I stand a little taller, straightens my shoulders and repeat from memory (this is a lesson I have heard my whole life), "The children because they are our most precious resource. The women who stay behind to care for others. The grandmother's and grandfather's who have done for their tribe in the past – it is once more time for the tribe to care for them. The last to eat are the warriors. The warriors provide the food, thanked the animals and the earth for providing, and take joy in seeing that there is enough for all. They are willing to go without if needed."

"Very good, Sam. Go. Eat. For I can not until you do."

I look around. All of the elders are watching me. Each nods to let me know they heard and are proud that I am learning my lessons. I stand taller and walk up to Grandfather Quill. "Grandfather, you have not eaten. Come with me – I will help you. Or I can bring you food if you prefer."

"No, tonight I do not eat child. Thank you." He lowers his voice to a whisper, "but if you will put a fry-bread on a napkin I will eat it after I talk. Thank you, Sam; you will be a fine warrior some day."

When no one is looking I place the fry-bread next to Grandfather Quill. He smiles at me. That is all the thanks I need, I go and sit next to my mother and eat my venison stew.

**

I listen to the creation story as I lean against my mother's shoulder. I know this one by heart but I will not insult Grandfather Quill by moving.

The story ends. Grandfather begins another. It is my favorite. The story of how our warrior's spirits could leave their bodies and how justice was served to a man unworthy of being called a warrior. I watch grandfather intently, his eyes – they are different now. GRANDFATHER BELIEVES THIS TO BE TRUE!

**

"Daddy, why does Grandfather Quill believe the story of Taha Aki to be true? Aren't all of the stories pretend?"

My father stops walking, squats next to me and looks me in the eyes, "Never forget, Sam. Our people's history is told as stories. BUT it is our history and therefore true." My father stands and walks once more towards home.

This is my last memory of my father. He left soon after and no one has seen him since. My mother is not Quileute. She stayed here in stead of returning to her tribe. Grandfather Quill took on a father's role with me (Ok in tribal life – the whole village steps forward when the need is there. That is why there are so many Grandfathers, etc.) – teaching me what my father should have. I won't abandon my mother or anyone who depends on me. That summer Leah came to depend on me also…

**

Sam age 8

"Leah!"

"Sam! You came over! Are we going down to the cliffs to pick flowers?"

"Not today, Leah. I came to tell you, Grandfather Quill says tomorrow I go to track and kill a deer."

"So. You go with him all the time. Why can't we go pick flowers?"

"Leah, I have to go and get ready. Grandfather is going to say prayers over me and I have to sharpen my weapons. Tomorrow I am going alone. It is my chance to show him that he has taught me well. It is time for me to prove I can provide for my family. My mother said she will cook a great feast for me with the deer I kill tomorrow and you are invited."

"I want to go to. I will ask my father for weapons. I can help you Sam."

"No Leah. I have to do this alone." Leah's face crumples and it looks like she is going to cry. But this is Leah, the warrior princess. She does not cry. I am not disappointed.

Leah pulls her shoulders back and looks up at me. "Bring me back something too."

"I will. Lee-lee. I won't forget what you have asked me for."

Leah wants to hunt with me. I want her to, she and I are a good team. I can keep an eye on her if she is with me. I watch Grandfather and his daughter-in-law sadness when I give her venison that I caught and cleaned. It gives me an idea…

"Grandfather why is your daughter sad? Isn't she happy that I shared the kill with her?"

"Yes, she is pleased with the meat. She is sad because she can not do this herself. She has lost her husband to the spirit world and she never learned to hunt. It is hard for her that she relies on others now."

"But grandfather, she does her part! She helps so much during salmon season.'

"I know, child. But it is not the same. It makes me sad that she sees herself in this way. Maybe if she had learned…" I did it! Now if I can just get him to hear the rest.

"I have this for Leah. She wanted to come but you said I must do this on my own. Can I go bring it to her?" With Grandfather's nod I hurry down the path that leads to Leah's house.

"Lee-lee! I brought you some of my kill!"

"Sam! You make your first kill?"

"Yes, Uncle Harry and I cleaned it too."

"Good boy! You are a fine warrior at only 9."

"What did you bring me Sam?"

"The tenderloins."

"I will cook it for you. What do you want?"

"What can you make?"

Laughter comes from behind us. "Leah I will teach you to make jerky. It is the first food I learned how to make."

A few days later Leah brings me the jerky. I tell her I wish to share it with Grandfather Quill. As we approach his home he appears to be dozing in a chair. I take out some of the jerky and begin to eat it. "This is good Lee-lee. Tell you what. From now on I will hunt and you will cook. I am a good hunter, I already took down a seven point buck, so I will get us the meat. You made good jerky so you know how to cook. It will be perfect."

"But Sam, Why can't I learn to hunt too?" We are close to Grandfather I know he hears us. His brow creases in concentration.

"Sam, a good hunter is self sufficient. What if you were in the woods unable to get home? How would you eat/"

"I would have Leah's jerky." Leah smiles at this. Grandfather grunts, he does not like that answer.

"Leah, if you do not learn to hunt how will you get meat?"

"Sam."

"Leah, what if he is killed like my son? What will you do then? No. You will learn all the same skills as Sam. Sam will learn all the cooking skills as well. It is decided."

Leah is so happy she hugs Grandfather and he smiles. He will feel less sad now that he can teach a granddaughter what was not taught to a daughter.

**

Sam, age 9;

"GRAND SLAM!"

"WOW! Another 4 points for your team – Sam you are amazing!" All the boys from both kickball teams are around me and they are all talking. I see Rachel Black running across the playground. She is yelling. There is fear in her voice.

"Everybody shut up! Listen…"

We all strain to hear what is being said. I hear one word. Leah. Looking around I see her crumpled under the jungle gym. I push the boys out of my way and run to her. I get there before the teachers.

Leah is not moving or making a sound, so I crouch down next to her. "Lee-lee?"

"Sam. It hurts."

"Lee-lee don't move. The teachers are coming." I don't know where to touch. I don't know what hurts. "Lee-lee, what hurts?"

"My arm…" I can see now that it looks funny. I turn and see the boys are now all behind me and they are so close they could hurt her.

"Back up." They don't, they actually get closer, trying to see. Leah is my responsibility. She became my responsibility that day on the cliffs 4 years ago. I can't let them hurt her. "I. Said. Back. Up." Each word is clear and firm. I stand and turn to face the boys and let them know with my eyes I will hurt whoever doesn't listen. They back up.

The teacher arrives and tries to get past me.

"It is her arm. It looks funny."

The teacher goes to move Leah but touches the broken arm. Leah's breath comes out in a hiss. It is quiet but I hear it.

"You are hurting her! Stop. I will do it." I push her out of the way. Slowly I crouch back by Leah. "Lee-lee, Do you want to walk or should I carry you?"

"Help me to stand up. I will walk." I can't help but smile she is so fierce and determined.

I help her to stand. I wrap an arm around her waist and with the other I help support her arm that is not broken. We go to the nurse's office and they try to get me to leave her. Leah calls for me and that is the end of the discussion as far as I am concerned…

I stay with Leah offering her what I can while she is driven to the hospital, the arm is x-rayed, and then plastered and placed in a sling. The hospital staff tries several times to make me leave but not even the X-ray technician can budge me. Leah's mother argues for me to stay with Leah. It is easier to not argue with us, so they give in. When they need to be around her I step back but lock eyes with Leah. She only flinches once. No tears and no whining. The hospital staff makes a comment about how strong the children from the reservation are. We both give them big smiles. Leah has made us all proud and Grandfather Quill gives her a wish. She will learn to fish with us when the cast comes off.

**

Sam, age 12;

Grandfather is teaching us to drum. Jacob, young Quill, Paul, Jared, Seth, and I are in the drum circle. Grandfather has said that Collin and Brady will begin drumming with us when they are older. All of these boys father's drum together. All but mine.

Before we can drum, the drum must be built by us. We learn to make a smudge stick and cleanse ourselves, our tools, and the drum. We practice ritual prayers. We must hollow a tree trunk, tan the deer hide, and put the drum together. Only those of us that will use the drum can touch the parts and build it. It is hard work. Because I am the oldest, I am expected to lead the way for the younger boys. At this time I almost resent that I am the oldest and that I am given more responsibility. I do not yet understand that it is training for what is to come.

Once the drum is built we learn to play the songs of our people. We already know how to sing them. I sing as the first. Jacob sits to right (counter clock wise), he is the second. Paul is next followed by Quil, Seth, Jared, Collin, and Brady. Collin and Brady are still learning to drum so they sit in between Paul and I so we can assist them by helping to control the height of their sticks by simply placing our hands at the correct height so the drum sticks do not go too high. I also strike the honor beats during the song. I love how we all sound together. One whole. I don't like being the lead but it another responsibility I do not shirk. I do often have Jacob lead, as he is my second on the drum. I think the elders made the lead because I had been singing the longest. Once the oldest gets stuck with all the responsibility. Jared is our medicine keeper. This is good because he is best with the prayers that must be said. One of the people who sit on the drum is also the drum keeper. Once more that is me. But I think it is more due to the fact that we tend to practice at my house – no siblings to distract us.

One night after drum practice, I find Leah sitting on log in the shadows. She looks so mad.

"Sam, you need to tell them I can drum too!"

"Lee-lee, I can't. I need to do as they tell me. The elders have said this is a tradition that can not be broken."

"So you won't get me a spot on the drum?" She looks at me through squinted eyes. She has cornered me. My oath to her on the cliff's, I did tell I would get her whatever she asked for.

"I will try Leah."

The next day I approach the elders. I ask if I can tell them a story. My story begins with a young girl who is about to fall and the boy that saves her and in the process promises to always get her what she asks him for. All but Grandfather and Harry are surprised that I made an oath so long ago and that I continue to keep it. I see the understanding light their eyes and Harry holds up a hand.

"Sam, you have been a good older brother to Leah all of these years. But this drum circle can not have girls in it. Since the time of Taka Aki there has been a drum circle like this one. We will not let this tradition break. I will tell Leah myself so she will know you tried. I am sorry."

I can see he is not but I know I can do no more. As Harry goes to leave the elders, Billy stops him. "Wait, Harry. We will not forget the women or their contributions. Do not lightly forget the spirit of Taha Aki's wife."

Harry sits back down. The men are all talking now and I can not follow the multiple conversations that are taking place.

Billy holds up a hand for silence. It is instant. "The women have always been part of this tribe. We would not survive without them. There are parts that they play in the drum circle as well. Leah and Sam have been part of a whole since Sam was 5. If this had been the way when they were older, the answer would not elude you. Leah will make a gourd rattle and watch Sam's back. She will sing with the group, support them, but not drum. Do you not see this answer? When they are older, Leah and Sam may wish to change this. The other boys may choose women to watch their backs. It is the way of the tribe. Sam, go and tell Leah how she may be part of the drum."

**

Dancing is not something we are necessarily taught, though there is one dance in my tribe that is special. The Wolf Dance is taught to counsel member's sons. It is taught to us by Jared's father. For once I am not expected to lead, but to follow. The lead is taught to Jacob Black and I am grateful. Jacob is a good dancer and he is taught signals and we are taught to interpret them. The dance may change depending on what Jacob feels the drum is saying to him. I love this dance. It feels like when I hunt, only when I hunt I wear more than a loincloth! We move clockwise around the fire, dancing 2 beats with each foot. The first beat our toes are testing the ground to ensure our silence in the woods, then it lifts, and the second beat the same foot is back in the same spot firmly planted and bearing our bodies weight – silent as we hunt!

Leah is a fancy dancer. It is a good dance for her. She is lithe and graceful. Her regalia represents 2 hard years of work on her part. The beading is intricate. Her hair sits in two long braids with ocean blue ribbons entwined in her hair; the disk laces have ocean green beads and a gray wolf's head howling. Her regalia is done in earth tones, natural colors of the world around us, like the ocean green, the ribbons look so bright against her dark brown hair. The gown is the same ocean green color. The bodice of the gown is fitted, snug against her unbound breasts. The belly is tight and skirt is strait – ending just above her knees. She wears moccasins but not the leather pieces that would cover her tan calves. The shawl is steel blue and has the traditional wolf pattern on it. The outline is timber wolf gray with red and beige stitching to finish the pattern. The tassels on the shawl are long, their movement enhancing each move that Leah makes. Leah is stunning in this outfit.

Leah is beautiful in any outfit. Her skin is a smooth, soft, and supple; it is the color of our people, almost copper. Her hair is long, thick, straight, and black. Her eyelashes are also long and they often sweep over her eyes as blinks or squints. Her eyes are a soft gray. They appear to be the typical black or dark brown of our people but on closer inspection they are gray. Her lips are red and I used to think about what they would taste like when we finally kissed. Kissing was only a matter of time. She was always so determined that we would be together that eventually I no longer questioned that but accepted it as fact.

**

I kissed Leah when she was a freshman. Her lips were everything that I dreamed. I asked her date me that year and she wears my letterman jacket. The next 2 years were so happy.

Leah's junior year in high school my mother committed suicide. Leah and I find her with a letter in her hand. The letter was from my father. He had written me to let me know that he had killed a man in self defense down in Texas. In his letter he apologizes for leaving. He says he left the tribe because he did something dishonorable. He doesn't say what. He reminds me that my mother needs to be cared for. He speaks of his love for his Ciara, his one true mate. My father wrote me to say his final goodbye. He was on death row and by the time I got the letter, he was dead.

I told Leah my father had written and was never coming back. I knew Leah would want to see it so before she can ask I tell her I hid it so my mother won't find it. I guess I did not hide it well enough.

My mother is part of the Makah tribe. Her family has asked that she be buried there. I go alone to her family. I do not want Leah to see how they treat me, if they blame me for her death.

I should not have worried – my mother's family was so kind. There were many people there but they did not intrude on my grief. It was hard to leave her grave. I go home. Leah is waiting for me. I think she knew how hard it would be to go inside my house again.

"Sam, I made you venison stew."

I can not help but smile at this. "Lee-lee you don't have to cook for me."

"Come and eat. Before it gets cold."

Dinner is silent. The stew is excellent. After we eat and clean the kitchen, we sit in the living room. For the first time since my father left, I cry. Leah holds me and says nothing. She knows this is too much hurt – more than a scraped knee. While I cry she kisses my hair and rubs my back. After a long time I stop. Leah is still rubbing my back. I lift my head and kiss her.

At first our kisses are gentle and sweet. Soon my kisses become more demanding. I suck on her bottom lip and when she sighs I slip my tongue into her mouth. She responds in kind. The heat between us rises. Her hands move from rubbing my back to caressing my arms, then my legs. I pull her hips in closer – I know she can feel my desire. She does not stop or pull away. My hand moves from her hip up her side to caress to firm breast. She moves against my hand. My other hand moves up her back – pulling her sweater with it. She quickly squirms out of it and reaches for my shirt hem. She pulls my shirt up, her fingers under the t-shirt material running over my chest muscles – it feels so good. Once my shirt is off, Leah's fingers are in my hair – pulling me in closer to her.

Before I realize it we are both naked and I am carrying her to my bed. We make love for hours. She shows me without ever speaking how much she loves me. We fall asleep, entwined as dawn breaks.

I wake up and feel Leah curled up with me. Her long, muscular legs entwined with mine. My first thought is peace. My second is disgust. How could I do this to Leah? Her family? My tribe? Am I no better than my father? Dishonorable?!

How do I fix this? Will Leah hate me? I can not bring myself to ask these questions out loud. Instead I tell Leah we must hide this dishonor from everyone. I do not see or hear any change in Leah. But I must make amends before I can ask Harry for Leah.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Twilight and its characters are owned by Stephanie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended with the posting of this story.

**A/N:** I have tried to be true to S.M.'s characters, to the Native American people, and to myself. I have spent a lot of time with North East Native Americans. I have not spent time with any from the North West. So all information I give about Native's reflect that fact (though I have been doing research). Feed back would be great!

Chapter 3

Sam, that night;

Last night was incredible. Leah is always so giving with me. But that does not change my upbringing. I should have showed some self control and stopped things before they went so far. I have screwed everything up and brought dishonor to Leah, my family, and the tribe! How could I be so stupid! Harry and the other elders could kick me off the reservation for this and send me to the Makah tribe. It would serve me right.

I punch the wall in my room – there is no pain, no diminished my anger at myself for my loss of control with Leah. DAMN! She deserved better than losing her virginity to my self centered sorrow. Why didn't have the control to stop?! I punch the wall again. Now there are 2 holes I will have to repair. SHIT! My anger is becoming overwhelming. First anger at the dishonor I have brought and anger for destroying my home. What is wrong with me? Why can't I control this anger?

Waves of heat.

Stomach pains – The cramping causes me to double over. I straighten back up to standing and stumble out into the cool night air…

Pain is no less than I deserve but oddly it makes me angrier still.

I feel like something is trying to bust out, I don't believe in aliens but is it possible there is a parasite eating me from the inside out? I double over from the pain…

Pain. Like a million bee stings all at once on my skin. There is no area left un-stung. My eyes begin to water. I am shaking – I think it is from the pain. I fall to the ground and curl up in a ball. I think the pain can not get worse. The stinging stops. Suddenly the pain changes. It feels like the millions of bees have turned into needles and something is being drawn out of my body, pushing against my skin from the inside out.

Why am I alone??? The anger continues to take over all thought processes…

I jump up to run away. As I do I hear sounds of tearing. And I begin to pound through the woods. I am moving so fast the woods blur as I go. Screw this! I won't stay to be tossed out on my ass like a convict.

I run without stopping all night. Near dawn I pass out.

I dream about being a wolf and taking a deer down with my claws and teeth. I also dream about Taha Aki – I see him smile at me as he changes into a wolf. He looks at me over his shoulder. Without a second thought, I change and it doesn't hurt this time (more like tickles). As a wolf I hear Taha Aki in my head;

"_You are one of my many great-grandchildren. You are the first to change in many moons. There are those in the village that can help you understand. Do not be afraid. The time of the wolf has come again." _

I wake on the forest floor. I am not cold, I am warm. I am not stiff – I should be after all that running last night. I feel calmer. I can hear a river and I am thirsty so I go to it. As I look down into the river I see a wolf's reflection. Cautiously I turn to face the black beast. There is nothing there. I creep slowly away from the river, from the direction of the wolf…

I am still thirsty. Stupid wolf. I should have drank before I left the river. The woods are eerily quiet. I am cautious as I go through them looking for another river. Stupid. I am so stupid to run all night with out looking for landmarks or marking my path. Leah will be worried about me. It is late in the day – she is probably looking for me. CRAP!

Leah.

Oh god. I dishonored Leah. I can't go back! I must go back! FUCK! What am I going to do? I need to make reparations to Leah, her family, and the tribe. How? Shit! How could I be so stupid?

Where the fuck am I? Shit! I am lost. I need to get control over this anger so I can figure out where I am…

Screw it. I don't give a shit at this minute. I begin to run again…

Around midnight I fall asleep. Again I dream of Taha Aki and of being a wolf.

When I wake it is dawn. I can hear animals moving around. I stretch and all forest noises stop. I begin walking – looking for water. I find a river and plunge in – I must stink after 2 days of running. As I climb back out of the river, dripping water as I go, I hear, "quietly my son. Watch the black wolf but do not move. Wolves can teach us much. Quit now."

Where's the wolf? Another black wolf? WTF? Is it tailing me? Before I can move silently into the brush I have an urge. I begin to shake. It starts with my head and neck – moves down my back and ends at my ass. I hear a smothered chuckle.

"Quiet!" I hear the older mans voice in the tiniest whisper.

Whispered back even lower, "Sorry father. The wolf is so funny."

I walk back over to the water and look in. A black wolf stares back.

Shit.

I begin to run again. This time I do not stop. I let the anger consume me.

**

_One week later…_

I am still a black wolf. Black, why am I not surprised that I have been smeared with the color associated with sin? Why couldn't I be gray like the wolf on Leah's shawl? Once more I am angry and I run deeper into the woods. If I am doomed to be a wolf, I may as well act like one. I decide to run, to leave my responsibilities behind. What good were responsibilities when you fail to care for them. Leah. I ruined Leah. I run faster.

**

_One week later…_

I am a wolf. Two weeks of anger and self loathing and I am still a wolf. My ancestor's are testing me. I need to think. As I lay in the warm sun, I begin to dream. For the first time in 2 weeks it is not Taha Aki who is in my dreams…

"_But Daddy these are stories. They are pretend like the Hansel and Gretel one that Mom tells me."_

"_Sam," _my father was always so patient with me. _"These are stories. Stories of our past. Our past is true. You saw the truth of it tonight in old Quill's eyes."_

_He leaves my bedroom and comes back._

"_This was my father's. He gave it to me when I doubted our history. I am giving it to you, Sam. Please remember that I believe these things to be true. That my father believed them to be true also." He hands me a carved wolf. It is well done and sits on my open palm, too big for me to wrap my fingers around it. It is sitting on it's haunches and is howling._

"_Thank you, Daddy. I will keep it safe for you."_

"_When my father gave this to me, he told me the stories were true. That he believed them to be true. My father and Old Quill were children together. I believed my father and you should believe Old Quill."_

"_yes sir."_

Grandfather Quill. Maybe he has answers for me.

**

I watch Grandfather Quill's house from the shadow of the woods. At this moment I am thankful for the black fur. Grandfather finally comes to sit on his porch and smoke a pipe. I know that no one else is home.

I move slowly into the sun light and stop. I wait for Grandfather to notice me. After a few minutes Grandfather sees me but does not move or act alarmed. I creep a few paces closer (keeping my belly to the ground and my tail wagging) and stop again, never breaking eye contact with Grandfather. I repeat the process again and again. Going as slow as I can so I do not alarm him.

Grandfather leans forward, moving as slowly as I did. His sets his pipe down on the ashtray and stands VERY slowly. He moves closer and closer to me. I sit up and never break eye contact.

"Sam?"

Relief floods my body and I begin to shake. My whole body vibrates.

"Sam I am going to move bad. You need to phase, to transform into your human self." He begins to back away.

Does he think I can change back? Can I control this?

"Sam!" He calls my name sharply. "Focus, my son. Think about you as a human. Think about each body part. Concentrate. I am not leaving you. You are your father's son."

This last statement brings my father image to my head. I begin to shake so hard and fast it is more like a vibration. I concentrate on my father. Tall. Proud. Dark hair. Strait nose. I can see him and I concentrate hard. I feel a weird sensation. Complete with tingles.

"Sam you did it!" Come let's get you some clothes and talk." Grandfather leads me into his home and hands me a shirt and pair of pants. It almost feels wrong to be walking this way again. I look in the bathroom mirror I feel relief continuing to seep into my pores.

Grandfather indicates I should sit on the couch and he settles into the arm chair. He got straight to the point.

"When did you phase into a wolf? How long until you knew to come to me?"

"It happened 2 weeks ago. I did not know I could change back." Relief! I am not going crazy and he believes me with me saying a words. I stop shaking. "I have been having the same dream of Taha Aki telling me the time of the wolf has come again. I have had this dream every night for 2 weeks. Last night it was different. Last night I remembered my father giving me a wolf carving and telling me to trust you. That you knew the stories were real."

"This is grave news, Sam. That you are phasing means there is danger for the tribe. You have been chosen to protect us all." Grandfather pauses, gathers his thoughts and starts again, "Your father was a wise man, Sam, and I am sorry he is not here today. He would know how to help you even without ever having seen. I have a story for you and it too is our history and real." He settles into the chair more deeply, just like when I was a boy and he would tell me our tribe's stories.

"When I was a very young boy, no more than the age when you asked your father about our stories, that is when this story takes place. It is a child's memory but as you know, children learn from the world around them. I am now an old man and so it has been 65 or more years since this happened…

Your great grandfather, my father, and Ephraim Black were great warriors for our people. They would often disappear together and return in their hunting loincloths. This is the way it was. I had my wooden arrows and bow, I had my dull blade and I thought I could be a warrior too.

I decided I would lead my hunting group after our fathers. I had dreams of glory and not of well being for my tribe. This was wrong and I learned that lesson well. Learn it also and do not repeat my mistakes.

I gathered my group – your grandfather and Billy Black's father. We planned together to listen on our elders when our ears should not have been listening.

Many days later, we heard them planning to get rid of the cold ones. One we were far enough away from our fathers to speak we discussed what cold ones were. They were not whales for whales are warm like us, nor would they be a forest creature for deer and bear are warm too. We decided they were sharks and we would help our father's rid our waters of the beasts.

We knew they would leave after the drum ceremony that night. We plotted and were ready when the time came. We all had been practicing tracking and so that night we tracked our fathers. Not towards the ocean and the sharks but deep into the woods. We were unable to catch up with them, we thought our young legs were too slow. Finally we came to a clearing to see Ephraim flanked by 2 giant wolves speaking to a young blonde man. They shook hands and turned away from each other, Ephraim returning to our land and the other moved away followed by a man and a woman –they moved so quickly we did not actually see them leave.

One of the wolves whined and looked right at me. Ephraim followed his gaze and came to us.

"Boys, you should not have followed us. Come out and speak with us now."

There was only Ephraim, where were the other men? We walked out and hung our heads. We had shamed our fathers. I walked up to Ephraim, "Uncle, I am sorry. This was my fault. It was my plan and not theirs."

"Yes, Quill. I know that. But now you 3 are part of our history and you must promise to only share the knowledge we are about to give you with each other."

One wolf went into the woods and my father walked out. He and Ephraim placed their hands on our shoulders and turned the 3 of us towards the 3rd wolf. "Now my brother"

No sooner did Ephraim say this than did the 3rd wolf change! He changed into Waya.

Billy's father said. "We are shape-shifters, like our fathers before us."

"First my son, you need to know why we change. It is not something we knew we could do. We thought that our people no longer needed to do this in order to be safe. We were wrong.

Did you see the 2 men and the woman? They are Cold Ones. There are many of them outside of here, though these 3 were different. The others are hunters, but unlike our hunters they hunt people. Drink their life from their bodies. They do not care that it is wrong to kill like that. They have eyes that are as red as the life they drink from people. They are not people. Do you understand that boys?

We shape-shift into brother wolf so we may destroy that evil and protect they people. When we catch one of these demons we work together and tear it apart. Then we work quickly because it can put itself back together! We build a fire and burn it. Remember this always."

"Father, then why didn't you kill those demons?"

"Those are different, my son. They are not people like us but they say they do not feed off of people. Their eyes are golden, like a lions, and they have promised me that they will never hunt our people. We are letting them try this. They know if anyone from our village or the other villages is killed we will hunt them down and kill them. They understand this and they have given us their oath."

We all walked together back to the village together. We were told to never let anyone know that they could change. They told us about imprinting – a bond between the shape-shifter and his mate – like in the story were true. The bond, the love was so strong that if one dies, the other does not usually live more than a year. And if they do live more than a year that person is never whole again. I could see this had happened between my father and my mother. I had never seen such love between two people since.

We learned that you can not choose to be a shape-shifter. It only came if the need arises. We learned about the signs so we could watch for them in our selves. Heat. Pain. Shaking. Sometimes even extreme anger and rage. A sudden shape-shifting that can harm those around you as you change. We were told to never change in front of anyone other than the pack if we could change.

We learned all of this over many years. Because we knew our fathers did not hide from us what they were doing. But their wives began to age. We moved into our teens without our father's aging. One day Ephraim came and said the cold one's had moved away. They stopped changing. Then they began to age also. My father carved 3 wolves and gave one to each of us.

"Remember what we have taught you. You are now the history keepers. Watch for signs of the cold ones. Protect your people."

We did watch and wait. When it became obvious that we would never be shape-shifters we decided to tell our sons when they were 15. We did not want to leave the tribe unprotected. Your father died before he shared this with you.

Do you understand what this means?"

I think a long time. Grandfather does not interrupt my thoughts.

"The cold ones have returned. Anger caused me to change, I do not doubt that, Grandfather, so I must be careful." I pause. I could hurt Leah. I MUST learn control. If my great-grandfather could learn control enough to change in front of his son, then I could learn control to not hurt those that I love.

"I believe you are right, and yes, you must learn control. I will be here for you whenever you need me, as will Billy Black and Harry Clearwater. I will speak with them and let them know what has happened. But you, Sam, you have a far more dangerous path to follow for no one else has come to me. We believe that our 3 grandfathers were the only ones to carry the shape-shifting in their families. There are other boys. We must watch them and be ready. And you must go and see if there are Cold Ones. We must protect the people."

"Grandfather, the other boys… They are the boys that sit on the drum with me, aren't they?"

"You are very fast, Sam. Yes they are. I will help you watch for them to change. There have always been just 3 wolves. Usually the ages are 17 to 25 are when the change takes place. So we know who to watch."

Training is hard. I must learn to control my emotions. It is a struggle but I am getting better at it. At least there is no one at home if I do loose control instead. For once living alone is good. Also, repairing the damage I cause when I do loose control is teaching me patience faster – I hate to plaster!

Phasing (changing) becomes less painful over time. My control is good and I begin to learn to change when I want to – not just when I am angry. It feels like an explosion each time when I feel the fur burst out of my body, like rubbing your hair the wrong way – I always shiver when it occurs.

I can not speak with Leah about this. I am scared I will explode and hurt her. How would I explain it? I begin to spend less time with her.

Alone. I spend so much time alone these days…

"I want to tell Leah." It has been 2 months and I know Leah senses a change in me.

"You can not." This is said with finality by Billy. Even in a wheelchair he is the obvious leader of the group. Authority rings in his voice.

"She will not betray the secret."

"It is not to be. Come. Sit and listen. It will help to calm you." The elders see my hands shaking before I realize it. Their story will help me to relax. So I sit on the floor – I have already broken 3 chairs phasing unintentionally. I sit far away from the men. I do not want to hurt anyone if I change quickly due to lack of control.

Paul's father tells this story.

"After the 3rd wife passed into the spirit world to save Taha Aki and tribe life continued. The three surviving sons turned to wolves to protect the tribe when necessary as they had from the young age when their mother died. Their mother's sacrifice had added to their abilities. She had been Taha Aki's true wife, his other half. Do not forget this.

When the oldest was ready to take a wife, he decided to go to the Makah tribe. When Hemene got to the village many maids surrounded him for they knew why he had come to their village. He walked with them and spoke with them but everyone in the village could see he was unhappy. There was a feast, drumming, and dancing that night.

Hemene danced the Wolf dance for the Makah's. As he left the circle his eyes fell on a young maid, Nuttah. She was a new maid, maybe having had only 3 or 4 moon cycles, so she did not try to catch Hemene's eye. Hemene felt a pull to Nuttah. He walked over to her and as he approached she looked up. When their eyes met both of them felt everything leave them. It was as if only the two of them existed. The entire Makah tribe saw the change come over both Nuttah and Hemene. Those that thought Nuttah a plain woman saw the beauty of her reflected in Hemene's eyes.

Nuttah's father accepted 20 war ponies for her and the two were joined. Hemene continued to change to protect his people though there came a time when it was no longer necessary. Until Nuttah moved on to the spirit world, anyone near the two could see the connection that bound them together. Hemene's brother's found the same connections.

Many of the shape-shifters in our history have experienced this. This connection is called imprinting." The story abruptly ended here. Paul's father gives me a few minutes to think about this story.

"Sam – you and Leah are not connected like this. You can only share this secret with the Tribal elders, your wolf brothers as they become aware of the change, and whoever you imprint with. You

can not tell Leah."

I phase into my wolf form and run in the woods to think this through.

I can not share this with Leah. I am not allowed to tell her. This is the hardest part of my secret. I have never kept things from her before.

I know she can sense something, but she does not push.

**(NOTE: Hemene is a Nez Perce name meaning "wolf" and Nuttah is an Algonquin name meaning "My heart" I thought it fit the story. The drum circle information (Male and female roles) I have learned from my "uncles" Bobby and Tim. Also Waya is a Cherokee word for wolf.) **


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N**: Twilight and its characters are owned by Stephanie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended with the posting of this story.

**A/N:** I have tried to be true to S.M.'s characters, to the Native American people, and to myself. I have spent a lot of time with North East Native Americans. I have not spent time with any from the North West. So all information I give about Native's reflect that fact (though I have been doing research). Feed back would be great!

**A/N**: Otekah is Navajo for Sun Maiden. Otekah is oldest Quill's wife. How appropriate she is the Sun holding oldest Quill in orbit.

Chapter 4

Sam, 3 months later

I have managed to learn control. Jared started phasing about a month ago. He is learning control. The lucky bastard has also imprinted. Kim goes to school with Jared. She knows everything, Jared can keep nothing from her. They are so happy together. I am envious. I wish I had that too.

Jared and I have discovered that there are 7 cold ones living on the far side of Forks. We wonder who will be the third wolf to join us. The story says three wolves at one time. The elders have decided to hold off on telling the others that they might become wolves.

We have discovered some cool benefits to our situation. In addition to sharing thoughts, running incredibly fast, and never getting cold due to a permanent rise in body temperature we have experienced abnormal growth. If I had this build in high school I would have killed people on the football field! We also heal fast. I mean really fast. One night out on patrol Jared stepped into a bear trap. When I got to him he was trying to figure out how to get it open while still in wolf form. His right hind leg wasn't broken, but it was bloody and torn. I phased quickly and pulled the trap open. I phased back and convinced him to stay a wolf. I helped him maintain control over the pain as we headed for Grandfather Quill's home. We felt the pain recede on it's own but I thought it was due to shock. When we got to Grandfather's I phased back and told him what happen. Paul stayed a wolf – we did not know what would happen if he phased back. Grandfather looked at Paul's leg and started to laugh. We looked too. It looked like a scrape – not the bloody mess that it had been at the bear trap. The next day Grandfather told rest of the counsel what had happened. This will be added to the legend so in the future others will know it is possible. My actions have spoken to the elders and they are pleased the Alpha/Beta situation has worked it self out.

So I am the Alpha. This is a larger responsibility than caring for my mother, leading the drum, and caring for Leah. I failed my Mother, I hope I do fail in the other responsibilities. I am able to shield these thoughts and fears from Jared, he is not so lucky.

**

I have seen what it is like to imprint. To no longer be held in place by gravity, the rotation of the Earth, or the tribe. I saw and felt the shift in Jared when we were both phased. I saw how Kim looked before and after it happened. He and I spent time before going to the elders trying to figure out how to tell Kim about being a wolf. We shouldn't have worried. Kim is a Quileute tribeswoman. When she joined the elders, Jared, and I at council, I could see and smell her fear. Without seeing her through Jared's eyes I try to see if she is pretty. To me she looks like an average looking Quileute woman who is scared and lacks self-esteem, something Leah has in abundance. The elders tell her the stories. She has heard them. They tell her they are real. Kim, to her credit, does not hesitate to tell the elders that they are stories and the history of the tribe they are not the future or the present. I am glad for Jared's sake that she has shown some spunk. She is definitely more attractive when she is spunky.

The elders lead us all to a clearing. Jared looks at me and I nod. He and I move away from the group, and I stop between those I protect and Jared. Billy tells Kim the stories are true, yesterday and today. He tells her to watch Jared and he phases before Kim. Poor Kim. She screams and hides behind Billy in his wheel chair. I think I sighed out loud. Poor Jared.

Jared phases back with better control than I have ever seen. He forgets he is wearing nothing and runs to comfort Kim – he can not help himself. Kim does not look at him again until Grandfather Quill steps in. "Kim, do you see that the stories of the shape-shifters are real?"

"Y-y-yes. G-g-g-ran-d-f-f-ath-er." The fear causes her to stutter and shake. She cowers. How is this a good mate for Jared?

"Can you be a true Quileute woman and help to protect this tribe?" What crap is Grandfather pulling? How can this mouse help us?

The is a long pause. Kim is obviously considering her options. I can think of a few. 1 – continue to be the coward in the shadows and tell Grandfather "no". 2 – ask Grandfather how can she help, and really I want this answer. 3 – Accept it all for the truth it is and give Jared a chance to prove that she is now his sun.

We all wait. After about five minutes Kim announces that she will trust Grandfather and that he is to tell her how she could help. She also states she has no idea how she could possibly help defend the tribe.

Grandfather tells the story of the first wife again. He tells the story he told me about his father. He also tells Kim about his mother.

"My mother helped to protect the tribe, Kim. She was no taller than you. She did not know how to use a spear, bow, gun, or any other weapon. She could not even paddle a canoe on her own. My mother, Otekah, was raised in the traditional way of women. She knew how to cook, clean, sew, and be a helper around the tribe. She did not shirk her duty growing up. Around the time that Otekah began her moon cycles stories started in the tribe about the shape-shifters being real. She began to watch. She noticed that as the moons passed Ephriam, Quill, and Levi and did not change. One day Otekah was by the river when the three leaders came out of the woods laughing wearing only loincloths. She stood quickly and went to leave, Quill noticed her."

Grandfather paused here. I know what is coming, but how will he describe it?

"Quill looked upon Otekah and he knew. He knew this was his heart. His sun that would hold him to this Earth. The others left Quill and Otekah alone. No one knows what they spoke of. That day Quill approached her father and offered many good horses for her.

They were joined. Quill shared with Otekah the truth of the cold ones. She listened and lightened his heart. She was his reminder that the world is not full of responsibilities to the whole tribe, but that there are responsibilities to yourself as well. She gave him a son, and then a daughter. The cold ones left when I was still a young boy. Quill stopped phasing. At the time it not appear to me that they were not the same age. He stopped phasing and was able to age with my mother. Until the day he died my mother lightened his worries and helped him to see the path he must walk."

Again Grandfather pauses. I watch Kim and she looks different somehow.

"Grandfather" Her voice is soft and she is respectful, "please, why have you told me all of this? What is it you are asking me?"

Jared walks up to her and holds out his hand. "Will you walk with me, Kim? I have a lot to tell you." Kim, thankfully, takes his hand and they walk away from us. That was the moment Kim began to realize she was Jared's sun.

**

I hate seeing all of Jared's thoughts and feelings. It seems wrong, yet we both take advantage of it. Having conversations that are truly private has it's benefits. One is we are able to coordinate patrols, possibly defend each other if we were attacked and communicate as we patrol.

I know he and Kim have discussed me. I know he has told Kim that I did not imprint on Leah. I have heard it in his thoughts, along with I am sorry's. But I know he can refuse her nothing and she is trying hard to be like Otekah. To lighten his burdens.

I really want to talk with Lee-lee about this. But the answer was no. What good is being Alpha if you can not do what your soul tells you to do?

I am working hard to keep from telling Leah, but she is suspicious. I can tell.

**

"Sam, what are your plans for tomorrow?"

"I am not sure yet. Why?"

"Well, my cousin Emily is coming for a visit and my mother has invited to our house for a family barbeque. She will be making ribs."

Food. I am always so hungry now. "I would love to come. Thank your mother for me Lee-lee, OK?"

Jared and I run patrols all night. I fall asleep on the couch. I wake up to the phone ringing.

"'Ello?"

"Sam you need to get up. The barbeque is starting and Leah is going to wonder what happened to you."

"Thanks Jared."

"I'll see you there. Harry invited me and Kim yesterday."

"gotta go"

I jump up. Take a five minute shower. Throw on shorts and an Indigenous T-shirt (I love that Native American Rock group) and head out the door. I run back in to get my shoes. I only ever wear them around Leah now, it is too hot and I have only 1 pair left. Phasing has it's hazards.

I arrive at the Clearwater's home and look for Leah. Seth is getting ready to leave to find Jacob. They are going to work on Billy's old truck (OK Jacob is going to work on the truck and Seth is going to hand him tools). I nod to Harry to checking the smoker (yes – smoked pig I have not had that in a while…). Sue comes up and hugs me, she does not comment on my temperature. I am pretty sure Harry and Billy have filled her in so she can help watch for the change in the other boys…

I see Leah and approach her. I give her a hug, quickly and lightly – I don't want her to notice my temperature.

"I convinced dad that pig would be better than anything else for this barbeque." Leah knows a pig roast is my favorite barbeque style, and Harry is famous for his.

"Thanks, Lee-lee. It smells excellent" my stomach rumbles.

"C'mon. Let's get you feed."

"Why the party for this cousin?"

"Well, she just graduated with high honors and we are trying to convince her to go to university. She was accepted! The first in the family."

"Lee-lee you are going to graduate with high honors too. I know it. And you may even get a track scholarship. You outshine everyone here."

"Oh Look! There's Emily. Come on. I want you meet her."


	5. Chapter 5

**I want to take a moment to thank RIMR_ and H2B for their support. I would also like to thank those of you that are reading this! Anyone who has left a review… You are like one of Emily sketches (truer to my life than you will ever know…)!**

**A/N**: Twilight and its characters are owned by Stephanie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended with the posting of this story.

**A/N:** I have tried to be true to S.M.'s characters, to the Native American people, and to myself. I have spent a lot of time with North East Native Americans. I have not spent time with any from the North West. So all information I give about Native's reflect that fact (though I have been doing research). Feed back would be great!

**A/N**: The prayer used in this chapter was found on line at .

**A/N**: reviews are always welcome – they help know if I am doing justice to these 3 wonderful characters…

Chapter 5

Emily's POV, The same day;

I have been so excited to come here. I have never been to La Push before. My cousin, Leah lives here. She and I are close. I am closer to her than I am my sister. I met her when I was 10 and she was 9. I wish I was more like her. She is amazing – a runner, a hunter, outgoing and beautiful. I am a shy, plain bookworm. I love her brother, Seth. Every summer he spends a month at my house and I love watching him and my brothers together. I feel like he is my brother too.

I know this party is Leah's doing. She wants me to go to school. I want to stay home. I think I would like to teach on my reservation. I love school and I could teach at the elementary school. I know I could challenge the education test and pass it so that I wouldn't have to go away. Maybe Leah will go with me when I go to the city for that exam. I don't like to go alone. Come to think of it I do not like big crowds either.

Uncle Harry and Aunt Sue tell me they have invited a lot of people my age. Later there will be stories from the counsel. I can not wait for that! I love the tribal stories of my people and I look forward to hearing Leah's. Maybe I will write them down and make a book of them for Leah. It is so hard to find gifts her, I usually give her sketches.

I enjoy sketching; I can write out the stories and add some illustrations in too. That would be a good graduation present for her. She graduates soon too. I am sure she will be offered a scholarship somewhere. I am not so sure she will take it. (sigh) She is in love with a boy named Sam, I doubt she will go away to school. She told me about Sam's mother, I should have gone to her funeral. I felt funny about going, even though she was a fellow Makah tribe member. I know Leah plans to marry Sam. She has loved him a long time. I love the story the way Aunt Sue tells it…

THAT'S IT! That will be the first story in the book I make Leah.

"Emily"

"Yes, Aunt? What can I do to help you?"

"Will you bring this to your mother? She said she would make the fry-bread out by the pig roaster" Aunt Sue hands me a big bowl of dough. I bring it to my mother. Then I wander to a deer path not far from my mother. I walk a little ways down the path and pull out my sketch book and pencil.

Looking around I see the natural beauty of La Push reservation. In the distance I can hear the surf against the cliffs. Closing my eyes I can smell the salt tang of the ocean along with the flowers, earth, and trees. I open my eyes and look down. There is a large paw print in the Dirt here. The main circle is almost as big as my hand. That is a large animal. Looking closer I see the slight indentations from the claws. This is not a bear print; it looks more like a wolf. Do wolves get this big?? As I look I am reminded of the daily Prayer of the Wolf that I read somewhere, "**I call to those who went before me for guidance to travel this days path I ask those who are yet to come what this holds for me Of Wolf and Man is what I seek I ask for the Wolf to be at one with the Man and for the Man to walk beside the Wolf I offer this prayer to the Spirits above and humbly ask for their divine help to live my life to the fullest and bring honor to myself and my people."**

I pray for guidance. I know they are protectors of my cousin's tribe. I should bring the food offering here later before the feast truly begins. Wolf will guide my choice, I am positive. I have always been drawn to wolves. Wolves are teachers to my people. However, if there is a wolf in these parts and it is this close to the houses, it won't be safe for the little ones to be outside alone. I will sketch the footprint life size and give it to Uncle Harry. I start to sketch;

I love the crisp new paper with no marks on it yet. I always have my charcoal pencils with me. I tear a small ribbon off so that I have enough charcoal to use the broadside of the pencil if I need to.

The first stroke is always the most important. That movement decides the rest of the picture. You can't erase charcoal. You can smudge it, but never erase its mark on the paper entirely.

The first mark flows easily into each successive mark. It is easy to get lost in the soft scratching noise of the pencil on the paper. I love how easy it is to use shadows to add dimension. My fingers exert varying pressure on the pencil, or the paper to shape what I see in my head. I love to create animals on paper – the fur or feathers need so much detail to appear real. The black, white and varying shades of gray cause the drawing to take on a life of its own.

The rounded odd shaped triangle of the base of the footpad takes shape first then each of the 4 ovals making up the toe pads and finally the 4 arrow shaped toe nails. After the footpad is complete my pencil continues, each minute stroke is a piece of fur.

The fur goes strait up the nose flaring off over each eye. Forming the expressive eyebrows. I fill in ear piece of fur, filling in the forehead, then the checks. Varying the pressure on each fur stroke I am able to show the muzzle is slightly softer. His lips lift up in the slightest of smiles. The center of the mouth open just enough that if this picture was in color you would see the hint of the pink tongue laughing. The nose is the darkest part of the wolf. Deep and shiny. His eyes are full of life, love for his pack, and rimmed in black eye shadow.

The ears shape themselves, turning towards what the wolf is looking at. I stop and look at the drawing. The intelligence of this wolf is astounding. Sometimes I surprise myself with what I can draw.

Brother wolf must be letting me know my choice to teach is the right one. He is leaving me a message with the paw print. I spend the next hour here sketching, dreaming, and remembering.

_The first summer I met Leah and Seth, Aunt Sue had brought them to our reservation to visit her sister, my mother._ _Uncle Harry was only staying a short time. He is on the La Push tribal counsel and must get back. Seth is full of life and laughter. My brothers take to him right away and they go off to swim in the river. I am preparing the smoke house for a bear my father had caught._

"_Did you help hunt the bear?" I look at Leah in surprise. That is a man's job._

"_N –no. Do you hunt?"_

"_Oh Yes! Sam and I are a team. I help to feed everyone in the village."_

"_Do you LIKE to hunt?" This seemed like the right question to ask, but now I am not sure._

"_Oh, yes! I am not as good of a tracker as Sam is, but I do OK. I am good with a bow and arrow. I like fishing too. Sam and I sit together and wait for the salmon go fill the nets or we may fish for trout in the river." Leah looks me up and down. I don't like that. "Cousin, tomorrow I will take you fishing. You will like it."_

_Oh, Leah I do not think my father would like that. Besides I promised mother I would help her with the laundry."_

_Leah laughs – it is so musical and I want to laugh with her, though I think she is laughing at me. "Leave it to me!" She walks away. I follow her and hear the conversation._

"_Daddy! Please tell aunt that I want to take Emily fishing. She has never been and I can tell she would be good at it. She is very patient."_

"_Leah, This is not our decision."_

"_But she has never been! What if she needs to care for herself? I can not let my cousin starve!"_

_It turns out our mother's were listening. Aunt Sue offers her opinion, "Jen, weren't you just telling me you worry that Emily spends too much time around here? This is perfect. Leah is more than capable of teaching this to Emily. The girls will have so much fun. AND maybe they will rub off on each other.'_

_And so it was decided that we would spend the next day fishing. I snuck my sketch pad and pencils along, just incase._

_We laughed so much that day discovering how different we were while we both wanted to be good wives and members of the tribe. I did not have a knack for fishing but Leah did not care. In total there were 20 fish when we returned home. I only caught one, wouldn't touch the bait or the fish while it was alive. I was so impressed with how quickly Leah gutted the fish._

_For dinner we had lake trout for dinner – it was the best I have ever had. Aunt Sue tells us the story of Leah disappearing. I see Leah roll her eyes when Aunt Sue tells us how precious each child is._

_Leah left with her dad after a week. Aunt Sue and Seth stayed for a month. That became our summer pattern. Each summer Leah would try to teach me a hunting skill. We learn from a grandmother in my tribe that wolves have often taught my people. Leah tells of the wolves in her tribe's history but it sounds like a pretend story._

Wolves have always drawn me. Each year when my tribe Medicine Man uses the Medicine cards with me, there is a wolf in the layout. He says I will always walk with the wolves, the teachers. When I am 15 Leah and I talk about my dream to teach, like the wolf. She is excited for me. She thinks I will be a perfect teacher.

Leah has always tried to make me stronger than I am. She taught me to feed myself, so now I can hunt small game (like rabbits) and fish. My mother and grandmother taught me how to cook, weave and do other traditional things. But it was Leah who taught me to go after what I want. I want to be like Leah.

Seth finds me as I sit thinking and drawing. He lopes over and sits next to me, he is at the awkward gangly stage. He sits next to me and looks at me sketches.

"Wolves are not usually black, Em."

"This isn't a black wolf, Seth. It is gray." I look again at the sketch. I had meant to make it gray. It is black. And big. Oh, well. "Who sent you looking for me?"

"No one. I came to tell you I am going to my friend Jacob's. He is fixing his Dad's old truck so Charlie can give it to his daughter who's moving into town. Did I tell you Jacob is going to let me help?" The last 2 years I kept hearing about Jacob. Almost as much as I hear about Sam. I hope I get to meet these two boys that I feel I already know.

"There's a Charlie here on the Res? I don't recall Leah talking about a Charlie."

"No. Charlie is the Forks police chief and good friends with Dad and Uncle Billy. He grew up around here, but not on the res."

I stand up and reach for Seth. We hug briefly. "Be safe, Kid. OK?"

We walk back to the house.

"Emily, are you going away to school?"

"I don't think so. I belong on the reservation. I think I will teach. What do you think?"

"You will be awesome! I remember you teaching me prayers in Cheyenne and Lakota! You always made the boring stuff fun. I am glad you will not be going away. It's already bad enough your reservation is an hour away!"

Seth's enthusiasm is always at 100. He never does anything with only half a heart. "Seth, please don't ever change."

"What do you mean? I won't stay this young forever. I have to grow up!"

"I know that. I am talking about your soul, Seth. It is so pure. You are full of light like the sun. I do not want that to ever change."

"OK," Seth says this in a 'you are cracked so I will be nice to the weirdo' voice.

We both laugh at the same time. He hugs me again and runs off to join a boy who must be Jacob.

I go to join my Father by the fire, later the men will build it up more, so that everyone can enjoy the warmth it offers when the sun goes down. Soon there will be drumming. I hope the circle Leah sings with play a song tonight. I have never heard them before.

I her Leah's voice, look up, and the Earth stops moving…


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Seth's POV, age 14;

My cousin Emily is visiting. She is so cool. I wish sometimes that she was my sister. I mean don't get me wrong I love my older sister, Leah, but she is SO protective. Emily is the one who taught me to enjoy reading. I remember that she thought I would like the Anne of Green Gables series - NO WAY, I am a boy! But I read it with her anyways and there were a few good parts. I think Emily is my _bosom friend_, like Anne and Diana. I need to find her and let her know I am leaving.

I am leaving the party early because I have finally convinced Jacob to let me hang out with him. Jacob is 15 and he is my best friend. I think Quil is his best friend, but that's ok because they are letting me hang out with them. Today I get to help him work on his dad's old truck! Jake is going to teach me how to rebuild the engine!

I find Emily out in the woods drawing. She is so good at it. Today she has drawn this amazing wolf. When I look closer at the picture I could swear there is something human about the black beast she drew.

"Wolves are not usually black, Em," I do know there are black wolves but I want to tease her. I love to make everyone smile. When Uncle Billy named me when I was one he got it right. Smiling Otter. My mom swears he knew I would be the class clown getting everyone to laugh. I really do not like when someone is sad.

"This isn't a black wolf, Seth. It is gray." I raise an eyebrow at her. "Who sent you looking for me?"

"No one. I came to tell you I am going to my friend Jacob's. He is fixing his Dad's old truck so Charlie can give it to his daughter who's moving into town. Did I tell you Jacob is going to let me help?" I really cannot keep the excitement out of my voice and I am sure as our conversation continues, that she can feel my excitement.

After a moment more we stand and hug. I know she is glad for me. We head back to the house.

**

Back at the house I run off to find Jake, Quill is with him too. I hear Billy say to my dad that 'the Otter' (He rarely calls me Seth) if full of mischief today. I turn and smile at them both, grab a fry-bread, and then the boys and I head off to Billy's.

**

When I get home around 10 I can hear Leah and Emily in Leah's room. They are both upset. I have never heard them fight before, why would they fight? I creep towards the door to eavesdrop. It is wrong, but how can I help make them smile if I do not know why they are fighting?

"Emily how could you?"

"Leah, I didn't mean too. I will leave tomorrow instead of next week and everything can go back the way it was."

"I saw how he looked at you, Em." There is a small pause and Leah asks in a smaller voice, "Would you really do that for me?"

"You are the sister of my heart. I will go so he will forget me."

I push the door open, "NO! Leah you can't let Emily leave! Over a boy looking at her? So what! What do you care if a boy likes her? You have Sam!"

Both girls look at me. Emily has tears running down her face and Leah has them swimming in her eyes, though she never cries. Oh no! It is Sam they are talking about. This realization is too much. I sit on the bed and look at them with eyes pleading for them to tell me I am wrong.

Emily walks over to me, puts her arms around me, and kisses my head. "You know we won't lie to you. Don't ask us to. Go to bed and let us work this out."

I hug Emily back and then go to Leah, "Lee-lee?" I ask it softly, I won't leave if she wants me to stay.

"Don't ever call me that again!" Shouting, Leah pushes me out of her room and slams the door.

I go down stairs, looking for Mom and Dad. Maybe they know what's happened. They are not home. There is a note on the table that an emergency tribal counsel meeting was called. Great. They wouldn't be home for hours.

Mom is not part of the counsel but the wives meet when the men do. It is important that the women and the men are ready to meet any challenge. My family has been part of the counsel for ever. Dad has already said that someday I will join the counsel. He has me in the counsel's sons drumming circle and I got to learn the Wolf Dance from him along with the other boys. It is so cool. Jacob leads us in that dance. I love how we move like wolves tracking in the woods. We dance around mimicking the way a wolf pack moves and takes directions with no words from the alpha. In the dance we hunt as Taha Aki and the other shape-shifters, tracking the cold ones and killing them. It is a powerful dance and I always feel like I can fly after dancing it.

These thoughts lift my spirits. I walk around the house cleaning from the party. Cool, there is fry-bread left. I eat 3 pieces before I am full. About an hour later I hear a wolf howl. It sounds as if it is laced in pain. I go out onto the porch and look around. I feel as if I am being watched. Looking around, I don't see anything but I can hear Mom and dad coming back from the meeting.

"Seth! Good you are home." She starts towards me, looking like she will give me more information about Why Sam acted the way he did with Leah and Emily.

"Mom?"

"Sue." One word from my dad and she stops.

I look at my father. There is strain around his eyes. He has been like a second father to Sam. This is hard on everyone, not just Leah and Emily.

I leave my parents in the front of the house and walk around back. I sit on a picnic table and send my thoughts out to the creator. 'Please let this all work out OK. Please do not let me lose my family to this.' Because while Emily is the sister of my heart and Sam has been like a brother my whole life, Leah is my sister and if they hurt her I will side with her. No matter what. No matter how hard it is to turn my back on the others, I will. Leah has taken care of me, I will take care of her.

After listening to the owls and the other night creatures I go back inside. Everyone has gone to bed. So do I.

**

I got up early. I just couldn't sleep. I eat some cold pork from the barbeque last night. Emily comes quietly downstairs. She is not surprised to see me here.

"Will you walk with me, Seth?"

We head outside and go down the same path as last night. I wait. Emily will share her thoughts and maybe I will find a way to make her smile.

"After you left last night, Sam came over. The weirdest thing happened. And I wish that it hadn't." Emily's head is hanging low and I can see so much pain in her face. I don't like this, but I listen.

"Leah was so excited for me to meet Sam. I was excited to meet him too. I already felt as though I knew him. I have been hearing about for so long. I have always thought of him as part of her. All of the stories over the years. The things they have done together." Emily's voice breaks and I can see tears in her eyes. Her story is causing her great pain. I go to hug her but she backs away. Sniffs. Squares her shoulders, and then goes on with the story. "I do not mean to hurt Leah. And I won't if I can help it. You know that, right Seth?"

"I know. But why is this hurting you so much, Emily? You just met him last night. What could have possibly happened to cause this? What did he do? Did he dishonor you or Leah?" That is something I can handle. Dishonoring a woman is something I can bring to the counsel and they would handle.

"No!" that was a quick response. Almost too quick. "let me try to explain more, OK?"

"OK"

"You learned about gravitational pull in science right?" I nod. "What about magnetism?" again, I nod. "Fate?"

"Not in school. What do those things have to do with last night?" I am getting more confused.

"I am trying. Hold on…" Emily pauses to think. "Sam and Leah have always been a team. Two parts of a whole, right? Like the Yin and the Yang."

"Ok. Yeah. Dad has said that a bunch of times. So?"

"Do you know what the Yin and Yang are?"

"Two halves of a whole."

"One is Yang which represents everything positive or masculine and the other is Yin which is characterized as negative or feminine. One is not better than the other. Instead they are both necessary and a balance of both is highly desirable. So in a way Sam and Leah match. The problem is I do not think their souls are like this. They are too similar in too many ways. Both are hunters. Both are singers. They do everything together, but they do not complete the other's thoughts. One does not know what the other is thinking. But they both care for each other. Do you see?"

"So you are like my father who believes they are not meant to be a couple. That they won't marry."

"Seth! When did Uncle Harry say this?'

"It was recently. He and Leah were arguing about 2 months ago. She told him she would marry Sam and move into his house. Dad said that he could see Sam was not her one true love. But honestly, Emily, until last night when I got home and you two were arguing I did not think that was true."

"Uncle Harry knows more than he lets on. I will talk to him too, before I leave." Emily holds up her hand again, again stopping me. "Seth, I am leaving today. But let's try to muddle through what I am trying to tell you."

"Certain things will always be. Look at the wolves. They have taught us before and I think they can help me explain. Every pack is made up of males and females. There is always an Alpha, usually male. The Alpha always has a mate. And there is always a Beta, the 2nd in command. The Beta can be male or female BUT the Beta is not necessarily the Alpha's mate. Right?"

"Ok. So let me get this straight, Em. You are saying Sam is the Alpha and Leah is the Beta but not his mate? But how do you fit in?"

"Seth you are so good! Yes. That is exactly what I wanted to say." For a moment Emily looks less sad. That moment passes. "Last night I felt a gravitational pull. There is no other description of what I felt. I looked to where I felt the pull and I felt the sun, stars and moon all shine down on me at once. I swear Seth, I think I even heard angels singing." I can not help it. I laugh out loud.

"Emily, angels are not real. Not to Native Americans. Don't be such a goose!" Emily actually smiles. As she continues her face lightens and changes to show a radiance I did not know could come from a human being.

"Oh, they did. All of Mother Earth's children sang out in happiness. Sister Moon glowed brighter! I looked into the eyes of my one true love. Just like in the story your family tells about Hemmene."

"I don't know that story Emily."

"Last night. After this happened. After Sam left, Uncle harry told it at the fire. But Leah and Sam did not hear it. They had left to talk. It's funny Seth, but I think Uncle Harry told that story just for me." The sadness was back along with confusion.

"Emily don't leave. We need to work this out. If you are right about Sam and Leah then it won't matter. Leah will see it too."

"Oh, I don't think so. You see, Sam and I stopped looking at each other when Uncle Harry bumped into me. When I looked at Leah I could see how deeply this had cut her. I looked back at Sam and saw he, too, saw the pain in your sister. I know he will agree with me that I must leave and never return. He and I must never see each other again."

Emily stands and walks away. Leaving me alone. I know she is going to see Dad and speak with him also. I don't feel alone. I look around the forest but see nothing. Again I send out my prayers. Please…


	7. Chapter 7

I am sorry this has taken so long. There has been a lot going on and it is the busiest time of year at work for me. I will try to post some pictures on my page soon (the wolf sketch and some others). Thank you for your patience. OH! And reviews are the BETTER than a full Christmas stocking!

**A/N**: Twilight and its characters are owned by Stephanie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended with the posting of this story.

**A/N:** I have tried to be true to S.M.'s characters, to the Native American people, and to myself. I have spent a lot of time with North East Native Americans. I have not spent time with any from the North West. So all information I give about Native's reflect that fact (though I have been doing research). Feed back would be great!

**A/N** Tehya means precious. It was foreshadowing what Emily is to Sam. The most precious thing to him.

Chapter 7

Sam's POV

I am running laps around the reservation. My four paws rhythmic timing helping me to calm down and think rationally. The night air has cooled down some, not that it matters for me…

Leah, the pain I have caused her tonight…

Emily. I swear she felt it too. It was the most amazing thing I have ever felt.

I am glad Harry was there to break things up quickly. After he bumped into Emily, breaking our connection, he sent me to find Grandfather. He and I went into the woods. He told me to break things off with Leah gently before looking or speaking to Emily again.

Gently. Leah did not allow for that. I wish I could have told her everything. I wish I could make it right. The last thing Leah said to me was that she never wants to see or speak with me again.

How can I be so happy and yet so sad at the same time? What am I going to do?

The elders are in a meeting deciding if it is worth the risk to tell Leah what has really happened, because what happened is going to tear that family and me apart if she is not told, if she does not understand. Because she will hate Emily also and that will hurt me too. If they don't tell Leah I won't be able to fix the hurt to Lee-lee or Em. Shit.

The uncertainty is too much. I stop and howl. Letting it all out in one sad song, in this song I am asking for help from Taha Aki. Maybe he will help me again…

Exhausted I go home, phase and climb into bed. Maybe sleep will help.

**

I must be dreaming. I am running with several wolves. In the clearing the phase and so do I.

"Grandfather! Please tell what I am to do…"

Taha Aki looks at me and smiles.

"It will all work out, my son. Leah will see in time that she is meant for more. There will be more than 3 wolves. Watch and be ready to help them, my son."

"But what does that have to do with Leah. Please help me."

"She will understand in time. Be patient. Watch and be ready."

**

As soon as I wake up I jump out of bed, get dressed and run to Grandfather Quill.

We sit and eat breakfast together. I eat two stacks of pancakes and some venison. I am not full but I know my appetite is too large to eat my fill here. I will go home and eat a box of Frosted Mini Wheats to finish filling me up.

"grandfather, please tell me about last night's meeting."

Grandfather Quill sighs and looks at me. "You should have been there Sam. You have a place on the council now."

"I am sorry. But I was too upset and could not control myself. I ran until I was calm."

"I can see you are still upset. Last night while you spoke with Leah, we told the story of Hemmene. I watched Emily carefully because from what you and Harry have told me there is the possibility that Emily felt the connection as well. Emily eyes lit up at the end of the story. Sam, I do not think that Emily will react the same way Kim did. I think she is a good match for the alpha. Strong and ready for what ever happens. We are telling her this morning. Harry will bring her in about an hour to the clearing."

"But what of Leah? Is she coming also?"

"No. It is not for her to know. She was not chosen by your heart Sam. You need to walk a different path than Leah now. I am sorry." I look at Grandfather and see tears in his eyes that he will not shed and knows he understands how painful this is.

"Grandfather, Taha Aki visited my dreams again last night. The news he gave me is confusing."

Grandfather waits, he knows I will tell him.

"Taha Aki said that 'Leah will see in time that she is meant for more. There will be more than 3 wolves.' He told me to watch and be ready. He would not be more clear about what more wolves had to do with Leah though."

We both sit and think. Finally Grandfather nods. "There will be more than three wolves. We need to share this with the elders. Leah will imprint with one. It makes sense. Then she will know and will be right once more."

**

I am waiting with the elders. Harry arrives with Emily and I keep my eyes down. This should have been happening with Leah, yet my soul is glad it is Emily. I do not want Emily to see the conflict in my eyes.

We go through the same process as we did with Kim. Only this time Emily is not a daughter of the tribe. This is a bigger risk.

When I phase I hear a gasp from Emily. I assume it was fear and I look into eyes to see. She is looking right at me and begins to walk to wards me. She has something in her hands – a notebook of some kind. She stops. Looks at the book and back at me. She begins to laugh. It is a beautiful sound.

I phase back into myself and step towards her. She wordlessly hands me her book. Still smiling. It is hard to look away from her face, but I do and when I look down I laugh too. I am staring at myself.

"Did you see me in a dream, Tehya?" The endearment slipped out before I could stop it. I hope she did not notice and comment on that…

"No. I saw the footprint yesterday and this is what I drew." We wind up staring at one another for a longtime.

Finally I look up and realize we are alone, even Jared has left. I grab my pants and we talk. I share all that I know. Answering each question as best I can. Hours pass by quickly and my heart is full.

I begin to flip through the sketch book and I can see Emily is very talented. The next page I flip to has an incredible sketch of Leah. My finger traces her check line.

"I am going to tell her."

"Emily, you can 't. Only those who phase, their mates, and the council are allowed to know. I have been begging the council to allow me to tell her for over two months now. They will not allow it." I am beginning to shake. I need to calm down.

"Then I will leave. I can not stay here and keep this from Leah! I will not continue to hurt her by not telling her what I know, I will go home. I will go back to my reservation and you will forget about me and choose her. "

"NO!" the shaking increases I can not stop it. I need to get away from her before I phase again. Before I can move, Emily lays her hand on my arm while turning to face me, "Sam, if I can't tell her then I will not stay here and intentionally hurt her." I can not stop the change. I try to push her away. As I do, I phase. The change is swift and in the process the hand that was pushing her away transforms. Instead of pushing her shoulder, my paw strikes her face. There is blood instantly and a scream.

I phase back. Time has stopped. I see Emily beginning to crumple. I scoop her up and run to grandfather's house. It is the closest.

**

Grandfather and I can not stop the bleeding. We call 911. When the Paramedics arrive Grandfather is the one to go with her. I know I am just barely holding it together. I can not stop the tremors in my body. The Paramedics tried to look at me, because I was stupid and said I was there when Emily was attacked. They assume it is a bear. I have to tell Emily's mother, I do not think I can.

I take off through the woods, phasing as soon as I am out grandfathers door. I go to Jared's house, stopping just barely under tree cover and start to bark urgently. Jared jumps out of his bedroom window and phases as soon as he hits the woods. I instantly open my mind to him. Letting him see and feel what I felt.

Jared stumbles when he sees me hurting Emily.

'Sam?'

'Don't. We need to tell Harry and then the rest of her family. I need you with me because I can not be trusted.'

I do not get a response. We skid to a halt outside the edge of the Clearwater's yard. The memory of meeting Emily floods my senses and it takes Jared shaking me to snap out of it and phase. We go up and knock 0n the door.

"It's open!"

"Sue? It's Sam. I need to see Harry. It's an emergency. Can you please have him come outside?" I won't cross that threshold again with out an explicit invitation. Thankfully Sue does not issue it.

"Just a moment, Sam. I will get him." I hear her chair scrape back heavily. I also hear a muffled sob from the second floor. Leah. Now she has a true reason to hate me.

"Focus! You are shaking again, Sam." Jared's voice snaps me out of it.

Harry steps out onto the porch and noticing that I am not alone, turns ashen. I grab him quickly and seat him in a chair. Shit. "Jared get Sue!"

"Harry! Look at me! Are you ok?"

"Who have the cold one's hurt Sam?" His hands are clammy.

"It's not the cold ones. It… It was me." I rake my hands through my hair and drop to my in knees in front of him. I can not keep this from him, even though he is not well. I hear Sue and Jared come out of the house. Just the two of them, so I continue. "Harry, Emily wants to tell Leah or she will leave the reservation. I couldn't stop myself. I phased. She was grabbing my arm. I. I couldn't stop. I tried to push her away. I really tried. But I hurt her." My voice breaks and I realize I am crying. "She is at the ER with Grandfather. We couldn't stop the bleeding. I didn't mean too."

I can not look at any of them. I feel Harry's hand on my head. I hear Sue asking Jared to get their truck.

"Sam, I am not sure what this is about other than you hurt Emily. Get away from my husband and get off our property. Do not EVER come back. Seth! Leah! Sally! Come quickly! We need to get Harry to the hospital and Emily is there already. She is hurt. Seth, grab my bag!"

I watch as Jared lifts harry and carries him to the truck. The family comes pouring out of the house and into the truck. Sally and Seth climb in the cramped back seat of the F-150, then Sue climbs into the middle of the front seat and she instantly grabs Harry's hand. I hear him say my name but Leah huffs, jumps into the drivers seat and takes off for the hospital.

I can't move.

"Sam, what now? Are you going to the hospital? Are we going to tell the other elders? Harry didn't look so great…"

I turn, sitting down with my back against the house and my knees drawn up. "No. I am not going to the hospital. You heard Sue. You saw what I did to Emily. They don't want me or need me. You go and tell the elders. I do not know where I am going yet." And I don't know where I will go because this is bad. The elders would be within their rights to throw me out of the tribe…

"Hi Billy? I need you and the elders at the Clearwater's. As quickly as possible. Things are real bad. I need you here quickly. … No… Yes, Grandfather and Harry already know… Hurry… Thanks." I hear the kitchen door close. I feel Jared standing next to me.

"you can leave."

"No I can't."

"I will leave and you fill in the counsel. Tell them Taha Aki told me last night that there will be more than three to change. There have always been only three. Clearly Taha Aki knew I was not to be Alpha. You can handle things until anyone else changes."

"You are my Alpha so cut the shit. You are not allowed to leave. You are the main defense against an enemy that most people believe to be a legend. You have a responsibility to the elders, the tribe, and me. But more than that, you have a responsibility to Emily. She accepted you."

"AND I HURT HER!" I punch the floor, breaking a floor board.

"Pull it together fast Sam. She is going to want you there. You imprinted on her. But I swear there is more. I saw it! I saw it in her face through your eyes. It was more intense than it was for Kim. Maybe it's because you are Alpha. You can take some of this pain for her. You have the strength for Sam!"

"It was not more than it was for you and Kim. You are just saying that. I hurt Leah and Emily. Possibly even Harry and now I have nothing." Incomplete. That's what I am. Incomplete. No Emily. No heart. No family. Hollow. I am hollow. Even my best friend hates me. I have nothing.

Jared grabs me. He shakes me. "You have me! You have the tribe! AND you have Emily!"

I hear cars pulling. Billy pulls right up to the porch, so he doesn't have to get out and mess with his wheelchair. The rest of the elders gather around. Jared quickly fills them in – he knows everything anyways.

"Get in the truck." This is a direct order from Billy. Jared grabs my arm and haul's me up.

Jared gives me one last look, and after a "later", he is gone.

I climb in.

"Stop feeling sorry for yourself. It is not who you are. You, Sam, are a leader and must act like one."

"This wouldn't have happened if you all had let me tell Leah." It dawns on me that we are not heading to my house. "Where are you taking me?"

"We are going to the hospital to straighten this mess out. Emily needs you there. You need to be there. Sue had no right to kick you out."

"Yes she did. Harry was not looking good at all. Sue knows nothing about the situation other than I have hurt three of her family members. That is what your counsel secrets have done. It has hurt them all. It is hurting me."

"It is the way it is done!"

"It is wrong!"

"It will not change"

"It will have to if something has happened to Harry. Will you sit Seth, a child, on the counsel in his father's place just because he is male? He is too young."

Billy sighs. "You are right about Seth he is too young. A counsel seat can not be empty."

"Change it! Make it right, Uncle. Let the wives onto the counsel. Let Sue and the other women on. They are no less worthy of our secrets. Look at grandfather's family. If his daughter-in-law is allowed to sit on the counsel than she will be able to help young Quil if he changes. She will have the knowledge to pass on to him and his children."

There is a long silence. I say nothing and wait for Billy to see the truth of my statement. "You are correct. But we cannot change anything without the rest of the counsel. I will support this Sam."

When we arrive at the hospital, before I can help Billy out of the truck, he reaches into his glove box and pulls out a package. I help him into his chair and we head into the hospital.

As soon as we enter Seth runs up to me. He looks so young and vulnerable. "Seth, what's has happened? How is your father? And Emily?"

"Dad had a slight my-o-card-ial Infarction. I am not sure what that is Sam. But the doctor's told mom that he will be OK and that we were lucky to get him here so quickly. They are giving some two hour golden medication. They don't think he will need surgery. Mom is with him. Emily will be ok too. That bear really got a good swipe at her face. She is not going to be awake for awhile. Leah is sitting with her while Aunt Sally talks with the doctor's. I am stuck here waiting."

I hug Seth. "It will all work out. The counsel is on it's way to help your family and give them support."

"Seth, here go get me a soda, will you?" Billy pulls out some money from his wallet, "and get some drinks for you and your family. I bet your Mom could use a water."

As soon as Seth walks away, Billy turns to me. He hands me the package he had pulled out of the glove box. "Here. This will keep your hands busy. Go and sit with Emily. I will take care of the family. I will speak with the counsel and let them know how I value you r idea. It will all work out. Go. I want to go see my friends." Uncle turns and heads down the hallway to the nurses station.

I look down at the bundle and open it. It is a small carving knife and a few pieces of wood and bone. I close the bundle back up and walk down the hall. I go into the room that Emily and Leah are in. I walk over to Leah's side and look down at Emily's wrapped up face. Then I look at Leah. She is in so much pain too.

"Lee-lee." I open my arms with out thought and she steps up into my embrace. I hold her close as she cries. Then she punches me. Hard in the shoulder, though it does not hurt me as it should have.

"This is your fault."

"Yes, it is." Admitting this to Leah is actually freeing. "Leah, there is more happening here than I can control. I can't keep my promise to give you whatever you want."

It was apparently the wrong thing to say. Leah pushes away and then storms off. She pauses at the door. "Emily has been asking for you." I swear I hear her mutter 'you bastard' under her breath as she walks down the hall.

I sit in the chair that Leah vacated and reach for Emily's hand.

"Tehya, please get better. I need you. I feel empty with out you. Please." I kiss her hand and sit back in the chair, though I do not release her hand. Her breathing has evened out and deepened after I picked her hand up. She is resting easier. It is enough for now.


	8. Chapter 8

I know most of you want to know what happened to Leah at this point but this is a triangle, so please wait for the next chapter. I need to get each of the three to the same point. AND no, Sam is not free of his guilt or his dishonor. Patience will be rewarded at the end…

Reviews are like flowers…

**A/N**: Twilight and its characters are owned by Stephanie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended with the posting of this story.

**A/N:** I have tried to be true to S.M.'s characters, to the Native American people, and to myself. I have spent a lot of time with North East Native Americans. I have not spent time with any from the North West. So all information I give about Native's reflect that fact (though I have been doing research). Feed back would be great!

**A/N** Tehya means precious. It was foreshadowing what Emily is to Sam. The most precious thing to him.

Chapter 8

Emily's POV, the same day

The stories are true! I saw Sam phase into the wolf from my sketch. It was amazing. His wolf form is graceful and powerful. After he phased back and the others left us I had dozens of questions. He answered them all. As I continued to ask him questions, so much was cleared up. The two weeks of agony Leah went through, she had always felt that her father was not very worried about Sam being gone and now I knew why. Leah also felt that there was something that was being kept from her and she was right. I can not wait to tell share this with Leah.

"I am going to tell her."

"Emily, you can't. Only those who phase, their mates, and the council are allowed to know. I have been begging the council to allow me to tell her for over two months now. They will not allow it." Sam is shaking; his nerves must be shot from all the stress. I won't be put under the same stress!

"Then I will leave. I can't stay here and keep this from Leah! I will not continue to hurt her by not telling her what I know, I will go home. I will go back to my reservation so you will forget about me and choose her. "

Sam's voice is an odd mix of pain and frustration as he loudly states, "NO!" Sam's shaking has increased. As much as I suddenly and inexplicably love this man, I will not lie to the sister of my heart. Leah needs to know what happened. She is going to be hurt, but knowing the truth could change everything. It could make the difference between Leah hating us both indefinitely or Leah finding forgiveness, peace, and hope into her heart.

I need to get Sam to see reason. I place my hand on his arm and turn to face him, to get him to see how hard this is. I won't choose love of a man, even for the good of the people, over intentionally hurting and lying to my sister.

"Sam, if I can't tell her then I will not stay here and intentionally hurt her. You can't make me stay and do this to her!" My voice echoes the pain I heard in Sam's voice moments before. I know this is not going to end well. Someone is going to get hurt. Please let it be me. Sam and Leah may be strong hunters but I have a strong heart.

As my thoughts race through my head, I sense more than see a burst of motion… In a blur I see Sam's hand move to my arm, I tense, thinking he is going to shut me out or worse tell me that I should leave. I watch in horror as he phases and that hand turns into a massive black paw. Then there is nothing.

**

I am walking along the beach. It reminds me of first beach at the La Push reservation. It is peaceful and it is surprisingly warm out.

As I walk I notice a wolf. It is not Sam, but I am not worried. It is calm and peaceful here. I know this wolf will not hurt me. It is as large as Sam, which is bigger than an average wolf. It must be a shape shifter.

'Emily, my wife is also your ancestor. I found her with the Makah tribe. You are like her.' Even though this voice is in my head, I speak out loud.

"Are you Taha Aki?" the wolf nods.

"Your people are wrong. Sam says I can't tell anyone about the shape-shifting. If I do not share what I know, my family will be torn apart. I can not allow that."

'You are wise and a good mate for Sam. But listen to me granddaughter, there will be more wolves. You are needed, not only for Sam, but for the rest that will change.'

Taha Aki continues, 'Sam has already started to get the elders to see how foolish it was to keep the shape-shifting a secret from the women. The mother's of my tribe will be told, but not the daughters. Can you see the rightness in that?'

"No, Grandfather. I can't. Leah is my sister. She is a hunter. She has taught me how to provide for myself. She has supported many members of this tribe. She has earned the right to know."

'She will know, in time. But now is not her time to know. It will come soon and it needs to come from others and not you. Can you wait?'

"I will wait but I will not marry Sam until she knows about the shape-shifting and the imprinting. I will not bear any children with Sam until she knows everything."

'Yes, I can see your mind is set. You are more like your grandmother than any of the others. You are truly a good match for Sam. Your heart will not mislead you.'

I watch as grandfather wolf/Taha Aki turns away. He walks towards the woods, pauses, turns back to me and offers the rather cryptic remark of, 'Sam is hurting inside as you hurt on the outside. You will heal each other.'

Then he disappears and I feel a searing pain in my face…

**

"Emily! I am here. You are going to be alright. Please stop screaming, Tehya." I can feel the pain and something that I can't identify in Sam's voice.

I feel a strong and warm hand pick up my hand. I stop screaming. I hadn't realized it was me. The pain that I felt in the dream was receding, leaving me with a fuzzy, out of body feeling.

"Sam?"

"Tehya, open your eyes. I am here." I open my eyes and see Sam sitting in an unfamiliar chair, in an unfamiliar room. I hear several different beeping noises and realize I am in a bed, a hospital bed. Sam is in a chair next to the bed. His face is filled with worry and remorse?

The door opens and my mother comes running in. "Is she OK? Why is Emily screaming?" she is quickly at my side and she gently caresses my left check. "I am glad you are awake, Em. I was so scared for you."

"Why? What has happened?" then I remember. Sam was upset. He phased and his paw hit my face as he phased. I gasp and raise my right hand up to my face and feel bandages. I look at my mother and see the fear and pity in her face. I look at Sam and see the remorse I saw before. I need to talk to him. Alone.

"Mamma", I intentionally use my childhood name for her, "I am so thirsty. Can I have some water?"

"I will ask a nurse. I do not know if you are allowed to yet." My mother looks at Sam, "will you stay with her Sam? I will worry less if you do."

"Of course I will. Do not worry." Why should my mother worry if I am left alone? Mom must be worried at how I will react to my injuries. The injury must be bad and she obviously does not know it was Sam who hurt me, otherwise she would never allow him near me. She is such a momma bear!

I watch as my mother leaves the room. I quickly hold up a hand stalling Sam's words. "Tell me the facts of what has happened since we were in the clearing. We do not have much time until my mother gets back and I need all the details. Facts, Sam, not feelings." I do not look at him, because if I do I know I will lose myself in his eyes, and I will see the hurt and I will not be able to do what I must to honor my promise to Taha Aki. My mother will be back soon.

Sam clears his throat. "I phased. I couldn't stop the change. My hand struck you cheek. I could not stop the bleeding. Grandfather Quil went with you to the ER in the ambulance. Jared and I went to tell Harry. Harry had a minor heart attack. He will be fine. Your Aunt has barred me from their house. The counsel was apprised of the situation. I told Billy the counsel needs to tell the wives. He agrees, but it will take time. Not until after Harry is out of the hospital. You have been out cold for almost 12 hours. You had surgery almost immediately. You… you will have scars." At last his voice breaks, I hear the guilt and pain.

WOW. No feelings as I asked. Except at the end. So Taha Aki told me the truth. I will have scars on the outside. I can live with that. Everyone knows a worries scars from battle are honorable. Is not this a fight to let the truth out for all of the Quileute people?

The door opens and my mother and a nurse come in. My mother holds a glass of ice water, with a straw, up to my mouth. I sip some as the nurse checks the machines. Sam stands up.

"Don't leave. Please." I reach my hand out to Sam and he instantly takes it and sits back in the chair. He is so warm! Will I ever get used to that?

"You have such a brave boyfriend," the nurse tells me this and I almost snort – we are not going out yet. "He carried you away from that bear attack and got you help." I feel Sam squeeze my hand, silently warning me that this is the cover story. "Did you know he has not left your side once since he got here? Well, except during surgery. He has sat in that chair holding your hand or carving something. You are a very lucky girl."

The nurse smiles at me, reminds me I can push a button to help with the pain and leaves. My mom fusses for a while and then Sam's stomach growls.

"Sam, I will stay with Emily, why don't you go get something to eat?" she says.

"Thank you, Sally, but I won't leave Emily while she is in the hospital." He reaches into his wallet, pulls out some money and hands it to my mother, "Why don't you take Seth and go get some pizzas, you can bring me some back. I doubt that Billy or anyone else has eaten either, I will be fine. Besides I want to talk with Emily about the attack."

My mother actually does not fight this. "Mamma?"

"Yes baby?"

"Can you have Seth and Leah visit me after they eat?" I need to see if Leah is still angry.

"Of course." She leans over, kisses my left cheek and leaves.

"Emily, I" "Sam, I" we say this at the same time and I can not help it, I laugh. It startles us both. I am not usually so free with anyone new.

"Sam, it is fine. I understand what happened. I have so much I need to tell you." Sam looks at me and nods. "Will you sit next to me?" I can not explain it but I need Sam to know that I trust him. He shakes his head.

"Em, I might hurt you again." The pain in his eyes is so overwhelming.

"No you won't. Come sit next to me. I need to feel you next to me while I tell this to you." I skooched over, I know there is not enough room on this bed, but I want to feel his warmth and strength. I also do not want to see him looking at me like I am a loony bird when I tell him about the dream.

He sighs. Stands up and sits next to me. He is so big that I sit up and lean forward so his arm can go behind me. The pain in my face throbbed with the movement, but it is not an overwhelming pain. I know he is not comfortable with the squishy arrangement but I don't care at this moment.

"I had a dream while I was asleep."

"You mean you had a drug induced hallucination. Emily, they are giving you morphine and god only knows what else while you were in surgery."

I turn into him more and place my finger on his warm moist lips. "Shh. It is my story now… I was walking on first beach and there was a wolf. It was Taha Aki. He told me that there will be more wolves. He told me that the mothers of the tribe will be told about the phasing. He told me I am needed at the reservation for you and for the others that will change. I told him I would not keep this from Leah. He told me it was not my place to tell her but that she will learn." I pause, it wasn't really a story that I had told but a jumble of the dream. "Sam, because Leah will learn soon, I am OK with not telling her. I will stay here. I will help you and the others, though I do not understand why I am needed. But, I told Grandfather Wolf and I am telling you now; No matter what happens between you and me, I will not get married or bear you children until she knows. Leah is my sister and I want her to be a part of my future, not just my past."

I feel Sam slip away from me and hear him sit back in the chair. "Emily, there is a very good chance that Leah will never forgive me for what I have done. You asked me to leave out the emotions in the re-cap of the last day but there is so much emotion left out of that brief re-count. I caused Harry's heart attack. He thought I had come to tell him the cold ones had killed you. Sue told me I can never return to their land, so if you mean to stay and let me see you – it won't be there. Leah blames me for you getting hurt, for Harry and for the pain she feels. Leah is right. I caused all of it. I do not know how to fix any of this! Leah will not forgive me. Especially not since I cannot tell her about the phasing and the imprinting.

I don't fully understand this imprinting. It is amazing, YOU are amazing, but in my head I feel like I am betraying Leah. I need to work through that as much as you have things to work out. But if you are willing to work with me, then we will find a way." He reaches into his pocket and pulls something out. He hands it to me and asks, "Will you work this out with me Emily?"

"I look down at what he hands me. It is a carving of a five petal flower. It fits on the curve of the meaty part of my thumb. "Yes" I breathe as I lean over to him and gently kiss his cheek.


	9. Chapter 9

Hello everyone,

I know I owe you all many chapters on HOWL! And they will be coming.

While I did not hit a writer's block, I did get held up doing research. In the process I realized I wanted to write more of Sam and Leah's history for you. I wanted to include more of Emily's past. And more of the elders.

I want to include more of what I know about the Native American culture that I have had the honor of being included in. Part of that is a naming ceremony. This is not something observed by every tribe but it is something that I feel will be beneficial to Sam, Leah, and Emily.

While I can appreciate and enjoy the weaving (swerving, mixing – whatever you want to call it) and meandering of a good NA story – I do not wish to tell HOWL! In that fashion. I wish to progress through a timeline (with forward and backward leaps). With that in mind I have decided to pull HOWL! Off of the website. You will see those chapters again.

Please take this time to reflect on my story and please send me (privately if possible) positive feedback of how this story has or has not worked for you. You never know – your idea may be a seed that starts a new chapter on these 3 wonderful characters.

OH! There will be more in the telling of Sam and Leah post phasing and more of the pain and suffering of the 3 thrown into the mystical world, as well as some changes to when and how Emily is scarred.

Thank you for all of your support,

LovesWolvesNVamps


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